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Why Did Diddy Request Another Mistrial? Ongoing Sex Trafficking Trial Takes Turn Amid Disputed Balcony Assault Testimony
Sean 'Diddy' Combs seeks mistrial in his sex trafficking case, claiming key witness gave false testimony and Cassie never saw alleged balcony incident.
Trigger Warning: This article includes references to sexual assault.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs has once again asked the judge to declare a mistrial in his ongoing sex trafficking trial. His legal team submitted the request after a key witness, Bryana 'Bana' Bongolan, claimed he once held her over a balcony in Los Angeles. Diddy’s lawyers say her story, and related testimony from Cassie, is inaccurate.
The latest motion comes just days after Bongolan testified on June 4 at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan U.S. Courthouse in New York City. She told the court that in September 2016, Diddy allegedly lifted her over the balcony railing while yelling at her. “You know what the f*** you did,” she claimed he shouted. Bongolan said she was held over the rail for about 15 seconds and later suffered both physical injuries and long-term trauma, including paranoia and night terrors.
Cassie, whose full name is Casandra Ventura, previously testified that she saw Diddy holding Bongolan over the balcony. But now, Diddy's attorneys argue that Cassie did not actually witness the incident, as per TMZ. They submitted a text message Cassie allegedly sent to Diddy’s employee Kristina Khorram, which reads: “I just found out some crazy s***.” The defense claims this message proves Cassie did not see the confrontation firsthand.
Here's what Diddy’s legal team is claiming
Sean Diddy Combs' lawyers also argue that photos of Bongolan taken that day show she was in Los Angeles while Diddy was elsewhere. They claim the timeline doesn’t match and say the prosecution knowingly allowed false testimony in court.
During cross-examination, Diddy's lawyer Nicole Westmoreland pointed out inconsistencies in Bongolan's statements. Bongolan testified that she was smoking weed during the alleged attack, but in her earlier lawsuit, she had said she was smoking a cigarette.
Bongolan sued Diddy in 2023. He denied the allegations through his lawyer, who called the claims offensive and outrageous.
U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian has not yet ruled on the mistrial request. He previously denied a similar motion in May, which was based on Cassie's ex-boyfriend Kid Cudi’s testimony about Diddy allegedly blowing up his car.
Disclaimer: If you need support or know someone who is struggling with domestic violence or assault or abuse, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist, NGO or speak to someone about it. There are several helplines available for the same.
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